West Indies fast bowling great and the first man to 500 Test wickets
CricketCourtney Walsh bowled like he had all the time in the world, and for 17 years the world's best batters discovered he did.
A Jamaican quick who made his Test debut in 1984, Walsh became the spine of a West Indies attack that ruled cricket through the late eighties and nineties. He played 132 Tests, formed one of the sport's most feared new-ball partnerships with Curtly Ambrose, and in 2000 became the first bowler in history to reach 500 Test wickets. He retired a year later on 519, a record held until Muttiah Muralitharan passed him.
For all his menace with the ball, Walsh's reputation rests as much on his sportsmanship. In the 1987 World Cup he famously refused to Mankad Pakistan's Saleem Jaffar at a critical moment, a decision that cost West Indies a semi-final place and earned him a sportsmanship award that still gets referenced whenever the spirit of cricket comes up for debate.
After playing he coached the West Indies bowling attack and later served as head coach of the Bangladesh and West Indies women's teams. He remains one of the most recognisable figures in Caribbean sport, a quiet ambassador for the game who still draws a crowd whenever he speaks.
At Steam Wine Bar he brings 132 Tests of stories, a deep knowledge of the craft of fast bowling, and the unhurried charm that made him one of cricket's most loved opponents.
Two decades of world class speakers in the basement at EC3. Want to book Courtney Walsh or someone like them? Tell us what you need and we will come back with a plan.
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